Jimmy Kimmel blasted CBS for axing “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” after 10 seasons whereas throwing his assist behind his good friend and fellow late-night host.
“Love you Stephen. F–k you and all your Sheldons CBS,” Kimmel wrote on his private Instagram story Thursday, showing to reference CBS’s hit “The Big Bang Theory” spinoff, “Young Sheldon.”
The “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host’s outburst comes because the community introduced its plan to cancel “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” in Might 2026, citing “purely a financial decision.”
The community stated it thought of the 61-year-old late-night host “irreplaceable” and that “the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television.”
The choice marks the top of CBS’s historic late-night programming, which started when David Letterman left NBC in 1993 to host “The Late Show with David Letterman.”
Letterman left his iconic present in 2015, and Colbert stepped in as host after gaining reputation on “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report.”
Colbert — who stated he was made conscious of the information Wednesday night — addressed the cancellation through the taping of Thursday’s present on the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York.
“Before we start the show, I want to let you know something I found out just last night. Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending the ‘Late Show’ in May,” he informed the viewers, who booed profusely over the information.
“I share your feelings,” Colbert replied.
Colbert assured the viewers he was not “being replaced,” however that the community was ending the “Late Show” franchise totally.
“I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners. I’m so grateful to the Tiffany Network for giving me this chair and this beautiful theater to call home,” he stated.
Colbert then mirrored on his time as host and informed the viewers how “grateful” he was for the followers who “joined us every night in here, out there, all around the world, Mr and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea.”
“I’m grateful to share the stage with this band every night. I am extraordinarily deeply grateful to the 200 people who work here,” he stated.
“We get to do this show for each other — every day, all day. And I’ve had the pleasure and responsibility of sharing what we do every day with you in front of this camera for the last 10 years.”
Colbert stated he needs “somebody else” had been taking up as a substitute of seeing the present finish for good.
He then concluded his assertion by saying he’s “looking forward” to placing on the present with the “usual gang of idiots for another 10 months.”
“It’s going to be fun,” he assured.
Kimmel and Colbert aren’t simply late-night TV friends, however good mates who share the identical agent, James “Babydoll” Dixon, Kimmel revealed whereas showing as a visitor on Colbert’s present in 2015.
The hosts additionally revealed that viewers and critics anticipated them to be enemies. Kimmel stated he believes it stems from the historic feud with their predecessors, Letterman and Jay Leno.
“People want us to fight and everything like that,” Kimmel stated whereas showing as a visitor on Colbert’s present in 2015. “It’s weird.”
“People thought it would just continue like the crusade,” Kimmel stated. “I like you, though. I might even love you.”
“Really?” Colbert responded.
“If you died, I’d cry like a baby,” Kimmel shared. “God forbid.”
“Wow. If I didn’t have a show, I’d come to your funeral,” Colbert quipped.
They’ve appeared on one another’s reveals a number of occasions over time and even collaborated as presenters on the 2019 Emmy Awards.
In 2023, they had been additionally co-hosts of the limited-series Spotify podcast “Strike Force Five” with fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver.
Seven-time Grammy winner Jon Batiste, who served because the “Late Show” bandleader from 2015 to 2022, joined Kimmel as those that had been upset over Colbert’s cancellation.
Batiste posted an emoji of a goat and a damaged coronary heart on his Instagram story, symbolizing the host because the “greatest of all time.”
Colbert has hosted practically 1,700 episodes all through virtually 10 seasons and is ending regardless of often being ranked the highest present in late-night tv, in accordance with Nielsen information.
The latest rankings from Nielsen present Colbert as profitable his timeslot, with about 2.417 million viewers throughout 41 new episodes.
